VZCZCXYZ0018
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #1482/01 3051441
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 311441Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2513
INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0656
RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU PRIORITY 0085
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0574
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 9360
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 1511
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0233
RUEKJCS/HQ USEUCOM LO WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUKAAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE PRIORITY
RUKAAKA/USAREUR ACE DARMSTADT GE PRIORITY
RUEHRL/USDAO BERLIN GE PRIORITY

S E C R E T BERLIN 001482 
 
SIPDIS 
EUR FOR EUR/CE AND EUR/RPM 
T/PM/DDTC FOR MALONEY 
DOD FOR DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGANCY 
DSCA FOR MAJ. ORENCHICK 
CENTCOM FOR COL. KULVAS 
EUCOM / TRANSCOM FOR LNO SIERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2033 
TAGS: KOMC PGOV PREL ECCT AF GM
SUBJECT: ATTEMPTED EXPORT OF GERMAN-ORIGIN HELICOPTERS TO 
AFGHANISTAN: GERMAN FEDERAL SECURITY COUNCIL EXPECTED TO 
ISSUE PERMISSION ON NOVEMBER 5 
 
REF: A. AMEMBASSY BAKU CHARGE DONALD LU EMAIL OF OCTOBER 
        31 
     ¶B. BERLIN 1465 
 
Classified By: A\DCM Robert A. Pollard for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (S/NF)  Summary.  The German Federal Security Council 
(Bundessicherheitsrat) is likely to reach a formal decision 
to permit movement of the three German-origin helicopters to 
Afghanistan in a meeting scheduled for November 5 (ref B). 
The Chancellery, MFA, Economic Ministry and its export 
control agency (BAFA) continue to hold that entry of the 
Pumas into Afghanistan or other proscribed countries would 
violate German export law, until or unless the government 
approves Presidential Airways' (PA's) application to do so. 
The Chancellery, however, reportedly supports a favorable 
resolution of the matter because of U.S. military airlift 
needs in Afghanistan.  Chancellor Merkel herself has been 
briefed on the case, a fact that demonstrates both the 
seriousness with which the Germans are taking this matter, 
and their extreme caution on Afghanistan-related issues. 
Embassy is encouraging PA to provide written assurances to 
the German government that the helicopters will not be 
transferred to Afghanistan until formal approval of the 
export license.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (S) On October 30, A/DCM contacted Ambassador Viktor 
Elbling (filling in for Ruediger von Fritsch, the DG for 
Economic Affairs) in the Foreign Ministry to ascertain the 
government's current views on the Puma contract.  Elbling was 
fully aware of PA's apparent intention to send the 
helicopters to Afghanistan without permission from the German 
government, and reaffirmed that doing so would clearly 
violate German export control laws and subject perpetrators 
to possible criminal penalties.  We then asked about a story 
that the Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation had heard, 
to the effect that the Federal Security Council (Germany's 
Deputies-level committee for security issues, including arms 
sales) might approve PA's earlier application to operate the 
Pumas in Afghanistan in a previously scheduled November 5 
meeting.  Without confirming or denying the story, Elbling 
replied that we should check with the Chancellery on this, 
and that he could say nothing else on the issue.  A/DCM 
further confirmed this information with another MFA official 
in their Arms Control Division on October 31. 
 
¶3.  (S) On October 31, A/DCM spoke with an official at the 
Chancellery who is responsible for arms sales.  We emphasized 
that we fully supported Germany's export control laws, but 
would hope that the Council would support transfer of the 
Pumas to Afghanistan, if at all possible, to support the U.S. 
military's airlift needs.  Our contact confirmed that the 
Council would meet on November 5, and that it would deny PA's 
application if they flew the helicopters (now in Baku; ref A) 
to Afghanistan without German Government permission; on the 
other hand, the Council would likely approve the transfer so 
long as PA kept the helicopters in Baku for the time being. 
The main reason for the apparent shift was that the German 
government appreciated the serious need for the helicopters 
in Afghanistan and wanted to be helpful to U.S. forces. 
 
¶4.  (S/NF)  We asked our Chancellery interlocutor how likely 
it was that the Council would approve PA's application.  He 
explained that he was "80 percent certain" because just that 
morning (October 31), he had "briefed Chancellor Merkel and 
recommended this action, and she seemed favorably disposed." 
To improve the chances of a favorable outcome, the 
Chancellery official asked for written assurances from PA 
that it would not move the aircraft to Afghan before the 
 
 
 
German Government decision on the matter (expected at the 
November 5 Council meeting).  ODC is sending a message to 
this effect to PA today. 
Timken Jr